Easy Baked Pesto Chicken

sliced breaded chicken on parchment paper.

4.75 from 24 votes

This quick, easy, Baked Pesto Chicken recipe comes together in about 30 minutes! Can’t beat that. I love it because I almost always have these ingredients on hand so it’s a good last-minute dinner.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: Servings

Calories: 365kcal

Author: The Food Charlatan

Ingredients

4 chicken breast halves 1.25 pounds
salt and pepper
1/3 cup Hellman's Best Food's Mayonnaise
1/3 cup basil pesto
3 tablespoons breadcrumbs panko is best

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Coat a baking sheet with nonstick spray (lay some foil down first for super easy cleanup!)
Pat each chicken breast dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle all sides with salt and pepper.
Lay the chicken breasts on the baking sheet a few inches apart from each other.
In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and basil pesto. Spoon the pesto on top of the chicken, trying to keep it from sliding off the edges. You don't need to use all the sauce (try not to contaminate what you don't use so you can serve it with the cooked chicken).
Sprinkle the top of each chicken breast with a good amount of panko bread crumbs, I used at least 3 tablespoons total.
Bake at 425 for about 20-25 minutes. I highly recommend a meat thermometer, you want to get it to 165 degrees. Juices should run clear.
Remove from the oven and serve immediately!

Quick Pesto Pasta (optional)

Cook 1 pound of pasta according to package instructions. Drain and add 1/2 stick butter, 1/4 cup pesto, 1/2 teaspoon garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese, and pepper to taste.

Notes

How to store basil pesto chicken

Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days. I don’t recommend freezing pesto chicken; the texture of the panko will get soggy. This is an easy one, so just make it fresh when you’re in the mood for a quick weeknight dinner.

To reheat, place the chicken in a 350°F oven for about 10–15 minutes, or until warmed through. This helps maintain the crispiness of the panko. You can also reheat it in an air fryer for a few minutes for extra crunch. Microwave if you must, but just know that the coating will be much softer.

Nutrition

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